Basil, Boxwood

Short Description

Tight mounds of small basil leaves that resemble boxwood plants.

Full Description

Discovered in a friend's garden, even on one of the hottest days of August, these plants remained in perfect form, extremely bushy and productive. Tight mounds of small leaves that resemble boxwood plants make a highly ornamental edging for the patio or container by the kitchen door.

Sun
The amount of sunlight this product needs daily in order to perform well in the garden. Full sun means 6 hours of direct sun per day; partial sun means 2-4 hours of direct sun per day; shade means little or no direct sun.

Full Sun

Days To Maturity
The average number of days from when the plant is actively growing in the garden to the expected time of harvest.

60-90 days

Life Cycle
This refers to whether a plant is an annual, biennial or perennial. Annuals complete their life cycles in one year; biennials produce foliage the first year and bloom and go to seed the second year; perennials can live for more than two years.

Annual

Height
The typical height of this product at maturity.

8-12 inches

Spread
The width of the plant at maturity.

4-5 inches

Additional Uses
Additional ways in which the product may be used in the garden.

Start IndoorsStart Indoors
Starting seeds indoors is called Indoor Sow or Indirect Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds indoors in the spring or summer

TransplantTransplant
When to transplant bulbs or roots in the garden for spring

Start OutdoorsStart Outdoors
Starting seeds outdoors is called Outdoor Sow or Direct Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the spring or summer

Start Indoors FallStart Indoors Fall
Starting seeds indoors in the fall called Indoor Sow or Indirect Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the fall

Transplant FallTransplant Fall
Transplant Fall-When to transplant bulbs or roots in the garden for fall

Start Outdoors FallStart Outdoors Fall
Starting seeds outdoors in the fall is called Outdoor Sow or Direct Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the fall

First Date: May-02 - Last Date: May-30

First Date: Mar-07 - Last Date: Mar-21

First Date: May-02 - Last Date: May-30

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Feb

Mar

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May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

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Growing information

Basil may be grown from seed sown early indoors and transplanted outside after frost, or sown directly in the garden, or planted as a potted plant.

Sowing Seed Indoors:

Sow basil seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost in spring using a seed starting kit

Sow seeds ¼ inches deep in seed-starting formula

Keep the soil moist at 70 degrees F

Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days

As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3-4 inches beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night. Raise the lights as the plants grow taller. Incandescent bulbs will not work for this process because they will get too hot. Most plants require a dark period to grow, do not leave lights on for 24 hours.

Seedlings do not need much fertilizer, feed when they are 3-4 weeks old using a starter solution (half strength of a complete indoor houseplant food) according to manufacturer’s directions.

If you are growing in small cells, you may need to transplant the seedlings to 3 or 4 inch pots when seedlings have at least 3 pairs of leaves before transplanting to the garden so they have enough room to develop strong roots.

Before planting in the garden, seedling plants need to be “hardened off”. Accustom young plants to outdoor conditions by moving them to a sheltered place outside for a week. Be sure to protect them from wind and hot sun at first. If frost threatens at night, cover or bring containers indoors, then take them out again in the morning. This hardening off process toughens the plant’s cell structure and reduces transplant shock and scalding.

Sowing Directly in the Garden:

Direct sow in average soil in full sun after all danger of frost when the soil is at least 60 degrees F.

Remove weeds and work organic matter into the top 6-8 inches of soil; then level and smooth.

Sow seeds evenly and cover with ¼ inches of fine soil.

Firm the soil lightly and keep evenly moist.

Seedlings will emerge in 7-14 days, possibly longer in cooler soils.

Planting in the Garden:

Select a location in full sun with good rich moist organic soil.

Prepare the bed by turning the soil under to a depth of 8 inches. Level with a rake to remove clumps of grass and stones.

Dig a hole for each plant large enough to amply accommodate the root ball.

Carefully remove the plant from its pot and gently loosen the root ball with your hands to encourage good root development.

Place the top of the root ball even with the level of the surrounding soil. Fill with soil to the top of the root ball. Press soil down firmly with your hand.

Use the plant tag as a location marker.

Thoroughly water and apply a light mulch layer on top of the soil (1-2 inches) to conserve water and reduce weeds.

Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating.

Mulches also help retain soil moisture and maintain even soil temperatures. For herbs, an organic mulch of aged bark or shredded leaves lends a natural look to the bed and will improve the soil as it breaks down in time. Always keep mulches off a plant’s stems to prevent possible rot.

Keep plants well-watered during the growing season, especially during dry spells. Plants need about 1 inch of rain per week during the growing season. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It’s best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated. Basil should not be allowed to dry out.

Pinch the stems to encourage bushiness. Pinch flowers off to prolong the harvest.

Monitor for pests and diseases. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area.

Discard plants after they bloom.

Pinch leaves from the tips of the stems as needed starting 60-90 days after the seedlings have two sets of leaves.

If fresh, pick early in the morning for highest oil content.

For drying or freezing, harvest leaves that have their maximum oil content, just before flowering.

To harvest the leaves, pinch the stems just above a set of leaves as needed from the top. This will also help keep the plants bushy.

Do not harvest too much of the plant at one time as this may weaken the plant.

Flowers are also edible and may be used as a garnish.

To dry, cut whole stems on a dry morning. Tie stems loosely together in small bunches and hang in a dry, airy location out of the sun. Basil may also be dried on a cheesecloth or a window screen in a dry, shady location. When thoroughly dry, store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a dry, dark location.

Basil may be frozen dry on a cookie sheet and then sealed in zip lock bags, or it can be minced and frozen in an ice cube tray in water or olive oil.

You can also preserve basil using sea salt. Place a layer of sea salt on the bottom of the container you will use. Place a leaf on top of the salt. Add a layer of salt to cover the leaf so the leaves do not touch each other. Make as many layers are you have room for and seal the container and place in the refrigerator.

Product Details

Sun

Full Sun

Days To Maturity

60-90 days

Life Cycle

Annual

Height

8-12 inches

Spread

4-5 inches

Additional Uses

Container Plant

Sow Method

Direct Sow/Indoor Sow

Planting Time

Spring, Summer

Thin

6 inches

Reviews

Basil, Boxwood is rated
4.6 out of
5 by
9.

Rated 5 out of
5 by
jocelyn from
Beautiful basilMy boxwood basil arrived in great shape and grew to be very large, gorgeous plants. They got so large I had to share with friends. I will order again next year.

Date published: 2016-09-24

Rated 5 out of
5 by
lorcela from
Beautiful and FragrantGot these for my patio containers. They are quite hardy and smell wonderful. I wouldn't recommend for cooking. The leaves are very small.

Date published: 2016-07-18

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Trinity Terrace from
The best basil ever!!My fellow gardener and myself purchased this basil last year. We had no idea what an excellent choice we had made! It is very short and bushy and we continued to cut it all summer long. The best part of this little plant are the small leaves. You don't have to chop them to put in your sauces. I highly recommend this plant.

Date published: 2016-02-27

Rated 5 out of
5 by
pamperedcritter from
Best basilI've always grown the large leaf version of basil. It would go to seed before I could use it all. The boxwood basil, I have been able to use more than three quarters of the leaves before it started flowering. I've used it in dishes I never had before. I have enjoyed using this plants & I would strongly recommend it to anyone. I've also dried some. It dries better than the large leaf version.

Date published: 2012-07-23

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bearfctry from
Wonderful little plant!I love growing this plant every year. They are wonderul to just grow. I try to grow these every year and put them in little pots and give to friends as gifts. Yummm!

Date published: 2012-04-18

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Javadelcamp from
Great little basil!For whatever reason I have been unable to master basil in Colorado. This little guy, however, was wonderful! I started indoor from seed last March, and transplanted my babies in mid-May. I planted them among my tomatoes, which was the only shade that the plants got. The basil was hearty, grew well, didn't have pest issues, smelled great when it was warmed by the sun, and was zesty! It made an awesome pesto! Be warned that this is a very small plant (probably only got 8" high for me), so you're probably not going to be making caprese salad with the leaves. But for adding to dishes, salads, and outrageous pesto, it is a hit, and so easy to grow.

Date published: 2009-11-30

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Nicola from
Great for bordersI tried this basil for the first time this summer and I was quite pleased with it. It's very compact and bushy, and is a vast improvement over the other so-called "bush" or "globe" basils that I've tried. Boxwood basil truly does form a wonderful little mound that's very attractive in the garden (and does not end up kind of like an upside down teardrop shape like some globe varieties I've tried). It's not very tall, so you do need to be careful to not lose it under or behind larger plants. I planted up a border of one of our small gardens with it and the family and neighbors admire it frequently.
The flavor is a bit zestier than Genovese basil, and is good in recipes calling for basil. I've made pesto with it and have put it with countless dishes. It has a true basil smell and taste, making it very versatile despite the small stature. I will definitely grow this again next year!

Date published: 2008-09-14

Rated 3 out of
5 by
Yonatan from
Too small to cleanThe plants are very bushy and productive. But the leaves are so tiny, my wife is going nuts trying to make sure they are bug free. Very tasty but it takes a lot of small leaves to make the equivalent of one regular basil leaf.